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All the United States Louisiana New Orleans Marie Laveau's Tomb

Marie Laveau's Tomb

The final resting place of New Orleans' most famous voodoo priestess.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Added By
Eric
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Marie Laveau’s tomb in 2005   Lucid Nightmare
Marie Laveau’s tomb in 2005   Lucid Nightmare
1920 painting of Marie Laveau by Frank Schneider   Louisiana State Museum
The tomb in 2015   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
The tomb in 2015   Allison / Atlas Obscura User
The tomb in 2009   Mark Gstohl
St Louis Cemetery No 1, 11/13/2013   Keri Kilgo / Atlas Obscura User
St Louis Cemetery No 1, 11/13/2013   Keri Kilgo / Atlas Obscura User
3-7-17   Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
  helloJay / Atlas Obscura User
Offerings of hair accessories   Avoiding Regret
  lindawitkowski / Atlas Obscura User
  tabzmonroe / Atlas Obscura User
  tabzmonroe / Atlas Obscura User
Marie Laveau’s tomb 3/20/18   manthysmom / Atlas Obscura User
Offerings left @ Marie Laveau’s tomb 3/20/18   manthysmom / Atlas Obscura User
Offerings left @ Marie Laveau’s tomb 3/20/18   manthysmom / Atlas Obscura User
Plaque on Marie Laveau’s tomb 3/20/18   manthysmom / Atlas Obscura User
  In Search of the Perfect Sunset
  Rachel Preskitt / Atlas Obscura User
  Darrell Powers / Atlas Obscura User
  thegenxjourney / Atlas Obscura User
  thegenxjourney / Atlas Obscura User
Faded XXX on the tomb. Oct 2018   ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
XXX   Avoiding Regret
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
XXX   Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Marie Laveau was a famous and powerful voodoo priestess who lived in New Orleans in the 19th century. Renowned in life and revered in death, some say she continues to work her magic from beyond the grave.

Details of Laveau's life are sketchy, and complicated by the fact that her daughter was also a famous priestess named Marie. The first Marie was born in the French Quarter of New Orleans around 1801, the illegitimate daughter of a Creole mother and a white father. In New Orleans in the 18th and 19th centuries, slaves, Creoles and free people of color practiced a brand of voodoo that incorporated African, Catholic, and Native American religious practices. Laveau, a hairdresser by trade, was the most famous and purportedly the most powerful of the city's voodoo practitioners. She sold charms and pouches of gris gris (some combination of herbs, oils, stones, bones, hair, nails, and grave dirt), told fortunes and gave advice to New Orleans residents of every social strata. Some said Laveau even had the power to save condemned prisoners from execution.

Laveau died in 1881, and is said to be buried in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, in the tomb of her husband's family, the Glapions. Some scholars dispute this as her final resting place, but it is mentioned in her obituary, and is the most likely spot. Whether she lies inside doesn't seem to matter to the amateur occultists and French Quarter tourists who flock here in equal measure. They scribble Xs on the whitewashed mausoleum in hopes Laveau will grant their wishes. (That practice is discouraged by preservationists, who say it has no basis in voodoo tradition and damages the delicate tomb.) In 2014, a restoration of her tomb was completed. A large fine is now in place for any visitor who attempts to write on the grave.

In general, the Saint Louis Cemetery is beautiful. It dates to 1789 and is the oldest cemetery still standing in the city. Inside are hundreds of 18th and 19th century above-ground tombs holding the city's most prominent dead, including Homer Plessy.

Known for their distinctive above-ground burials and particularly lovely monuments, New Orleans' historic cemeteries are all worth exploring, including the racetrack-shaped Metairie Cemetery and Saint Louis Cemetery No. 2.

Update: As of 2015, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is open only to visitors with tour guides or who have family buried in the cemetery.

Related Tags

Voodoo Cemeteries Catacombs And Crypts

Community Contributors

Added By

Eric

Edited By

hrnick, heudell, Annetta Black, Allison...

  • hrnick
  • heudell
  • Annetta Black
  • Allison
  • Avoiding Regret
  • helloJay
  • thegenxjourney
  • ickaimp
  • lindawitkowski
  • In Search of the Perfect Sunset
  • tabzmonroe
  • manthysmom
  • Rachel Preskitt
  • Keri Kilgo
  • Darrell Powers
  • Jason Michael Walker
  • causeiwander
  • wyomingarchaeologist

Published

October 10, 2016

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Sources
  • http://www.saveourcemeteries.org/tours/index.htm
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Laveau
  • http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E07E3DD103CEE3ABC4B51DFB066838A699FDE
  • http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/01/new_rules_limiting_access_to_s.html
  • http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2014/10/tomb_of_marie_laveau_voodoo_qu.html
  • http://bayoupreservationllc.com/portfolio-items/marie-laveau-tomb/
Marie Laveau's Tomb
1201-1253 Conti St
425 Basin Street
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112
United States
29.959076, -90.07139
Get Directions

Nearby Places

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Explore the Destination Guide

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Louisiana

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